Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! =] Well explination for the title...I didn't want to name it "Thanksgiving" so I just came up with it off the top of my head. =] Also, I know that it is a little early to be putting a Thanksgiving story up...but I couldn't decide and KCandRiley4ever told me I should. So I did =] Check out her stories, they're awesome! =] So without further ado...Happy Thanksgiving! =]
"Okay Riley, you mom is the best cook." KC complimented.
"Yeah, I'm stuffed." Zack said, rubbing his belly.
"Well she's gotten better." Riley said chuckling.
"Remember that time she tried to make bread and it exploded in the oven." Jackie retorted.
"Please! Don't talk about food right now," Sam complained, "I'm ready to burst.
"Okay. Fine." Jackie joked, draping her arm around his shoulders. He smiled up at her.
"So what do you guys wanna do?" Riley asked, "It's only 7 o'clock."
"This is kinda random, but wanna go ice skating?" KC asked. She had no intent of staying in Riley's foyer.
"Well if Sam doesn't puke," Riley began, "I think that would be a great idea."
"I think I can live with that." Sam joked.
"Well then it's decided; we'll go ice skating." Riley announced.
"Okay, but you're starting to sound like me when choose places to investigate." KC giggled, nudging his elbow.
"Well who knows, maybe it's haunted." Riley joked, grinning. KC rolled her eyes and nudged him again. Riley just continued to grin; he was very amused. KC raced out of Riley's front door and into the cold blackness that had become of the night. Spotting the heather gray car made her move her feet even faster in the direction of the driveway.
"I wanna drive!" KC shouted, sprinting closer to the shiny car.
"Shotgun!" Riley called, chasing after her. Panting, they both reached the car in a few seconds, the others close behind them. KC climbed into the driver's seat, Riley mimicking her actions on the other side of the car. Jackie and Sam were the next to arrive. Sam climbed in first, leaving Jackie the middle seat. Zack squeezed into the last sat and fiddled with his seatbelt until he put it on.
"Everyone got their seatbelts on?" KC asked cheerfully.
An absent minded "yes" came from Jackie.
"Okay then. We are off." KC announced. As they drove, Sam, Zack, and Jackie conversed among themselves in the back. Riley decided to break the silence by asking KC a question that had been rattling his mind.
"So why did you want to drive?" Riley asked thoughtfully
"Because it's fun to drive and you drive like a grandma." KC replied. Remembering her sweep with him at the Santa Anita Racetrack brought back memories that made her giggle.
"I don't drive cars like a grandma." Riley argued.
"Whatever you say, I just really like driving." KC replied, a smile growing across her face.
"Whatever, but I gotta love you." Riley responded, suddenly realizing the words he had just said. The soft murmur of voices was stopped in its tracks.
"I mean it in the friendly sorta way...not that way." Riley choked out trying to correct his mistake. He was relieved when the pinched whispers began again.
"Your something else Riley." KC responded, shaking off his award choice of words. She pulled into a brightly lit parking lot a few minutes later. The street lights illuminated the thick maze of cars, parked evenly in straight rows.
"Over there!" Riley suddenly yelled, pointing towards a spot right next to rink. KC maneuvered the steering wheel swiftly and angled the car into the thin parking spot.
"Something tells me our car doesn't qualify our car as "compact'." Riley said, examining the closeness of the cars around them.
"Oh well, we got the spot." Sam replied, clicking the car door open. In a few minutes, the time was standing in line for skate rentals. Sam's hand was closed around Jackie's, both of them looking like a real couple. KC stared at the brightly lit tree in the middle of the ice rink. Fragile paper lanterns flickered in the green leaves. The night felt magical, so magical that KC wanted something to happen that would keep the magic in her mind forever. She absentmindedly let her head fall to Riley's shoulder and her cool fingers grasp his hand. She was so engrossed with the whooshing skaters and the tree that she didn't even notice Riley's words. What she did notice was his shoulder moving, her head falling off of it. She tripped over herself and found herself dazed on the sidewalk, staring blankly at Riley's face.
"KC?" he asked, reaching out his hand. KC began to blush and took Riley's hand. As she scrambled to her feet, Riley let go of her hand again and approached the counter. Apparently the others had already told Riley their skate sizes.
"KC, what size are you?" Riley asked her. KC suddenly realized that she was standing in the middle of the line. She hurried up to Riley.
"Uh, I don't know, 8?" she replied shortly.
"Okay," Riley said, with a smile. He turned back to the worker. "So one 8."
The worker nodded and handed each of them pairs of skates. They hurried over to Sam, Zack, and Jackie, dropping the skates in front of them. They each picked out the sizes they chose. KC quickly grabbed the skates that she got and slid them onto her feet. She stood up, struggling on the thin blades. Riley came up from behind her and grabbed her elbows. Sam and Jackie laughed, took each others' hands and hurried over to the ice rink. Zack was nowhere to bed found until KC spotted him on the ice, skating next to a girl that he looked to know. The sight of it made KC smile, yet still wonder.
"Ready to go onto the ice, or are you just gonna stand here." Riley said, playing with KC's klutziness.
"Of course I want to go on the ice...that is if I can get there." KC replied looking down cautiously at the blades beneath her feet.
"I'll help you, don't worry." Riley responded, pushing gently on her elbows. After a couple of struggles and trips, they made it to the edge of the white ice. KC could ice skate fairly well; she was just a little off balance on the ground. She began to debate whether or not she should continue to be very bad so she could stay with Riley. After a few moments of thought she decided against it; she didn't want to look like a fool in front of Riley.
"Ready?" she heard Riley's voice speak right next to her ear.
"Yeah, I guess." She replied and took a step onto the ice. Riley let go of her elbows and she glided across the ice. She turned around and waved a thank you to Riley before taking off towards the tree. Instead of yielding to the tree, she weaved through the groups of children and adults over to the its climbing branches. Something about this tree made her feel special, like everything in the world had a warm feeling. She skated away from it and around its large trunk. She skated closer to the wall, expecting to see Riley. Slowly approaching it she realized that Riley wasn't where he was anymore. She looked around her shoulder, trying to spot him through the thick knot of other skaters. She suddenly saw two people speed skating towards her. They passed by her with great speed on either side of her. KC twisted her skates trying to avoid them but ending up tripping herself. She began kicking the air trying regain her balance. She began to fall, but someone raced behind her and grabbed her, her head landing into their chest.
"You okay?" a familiar voice asked. KC looked up at Riley's face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, using Riley's arms to help herself back up. She removed her head from his chest, but kept hold of his hands. Riley smiled and put his arm around her.
"Why don't we skate together so I don't have to worry about you killing yourself." He said, lurching forward.
"I think that would be a good idea." KC replied, her smile as soft as the light that the delicate paper lanterns gave off. Riley towed her over towards the tree. He helped her sit down on the one of the benches that surrounded the tree.
"What is it?" KC asked softly.
"This." Riley replied, gently pressing her lips against hers'. KC kissed back while suddenly realizing what was so magic about the night, what so magic about the tree. It was the feeling that KC was able to feel with Riley. She was immensely grateful for this. They pulled back from each other, their eyes closed and foreheads pressed together.
"What are you thankful for Riley?" KC whispered.
"You." He responded just as softly.
"I feel the same way." KC replied and gently kissed Riley again.